Month: January 2016

Living a Purpose Driven Life unto God


Living-life-with-a-true-purpose-quotes

 

Introduction
An encouraging message which explores what it means to live a purpose driven life unto God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Such a life starts with cultivating intimacy with God through Jesus Christ which results in the opening of the portals of Heaven or the revelatory realm of God to us. In this place we inevitably know God, find favour and receive His revelatory gifts and become empowered to do exploits for Him. Daniel is revealed to be one of our role models in this regard.

I end with two contrasting prophetic poems I wrote some weeks apart, their contrast conveys the clear message of two lifestyles that are completely different; a life that seeks first the Kingdom of God and His purposes (“Intimacy with Purpose”) and a life that does not (“Significant unto Self”).

Living a Purpose Driven Life unto God

In the Bible, Daniel did not only receive visions and dreams from God and had the gift of interpretation of dreams, he was also a man of purpose.

These were his achievements as a young man; He
-rose to pre-eminence in his own nation Israel (Daniel 1:3-6)
-rose to pre-eminence in Babylon,
a) among the wise men (Daniel  1:17-20),
b) gained power over all of Babylon (Daniel 2:48-49;5:29)
and
-obtained power over the Medo-Persian empire (Daniel 6:1-3,28).

How did Daniel, an Israelite attain so much power and authority in the heathen empires? It was because he was a man of purpose. Daniel did not wake up one day as a child of God and say “I want to have power over nations and to be famous, I am going to do all I can to attain that goal!”

We get an insight into Daniel’s no nonsense and bold “I purpose to live for God at all cost!” attitude when we read Daniel 1:8 (KJV) among other verses:

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”

From a very young age Daniel purposed in his heart to be a sincere and committed worshipper of the God of Israel. He allowed God to set his goals and priorities all the time. He was not hasty in his actions, but took time to be in the “Secret place” with God and to hear from Him. This is why Daniel was a man who knew his God, was bold and had favour with God and man, a foundation to build on and do exploits for God. When we develop the habit of pursuing God with all that is in us, we inevitably become His visionaries because our lifestyles scream out “Lord, I am available! Speak to me! I want to hear or see what you have to say or show me”.

God is graciously raising people like Daniel today. Are we counted as one of these people?

purposeIn the biblical book of Revelations, Jesus was speaking to those who are his when he said “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20 WEB).

These words of Jesus reveals that in addition to  confessing that one is his or God’s, one needs to advance in one’s Christian walk to the “secret place” of his presence  or intimacy with God where one receives revelation or insight into God’s mind, will and purposes. He “knocks” by offering himself to those who are his in many ways especially through the Holy Spirit that testifies of him and indwells the believer and through the Word of God which he personifies (John 1).

Those who qualify to be Jesus’ disciples, he calls friends (John 15:15), for unlike servants they have access to revelation of Father’s words and therefore his secrets and will through Jesus, they are the ones who accept to open the door of their lives to a knocking Jesus. They accept the invitation of Jesus to “come up here” (Rev. 4:1) to abide with him closely, so that through intimacy they know God, receive His power, favour and revelatory gifts as Daniel did.

Jesus Christ also makes it clear that obedience to his will which demonstrates love for him is the key (John 14:21-26) to entering his and Father God’s presence or glory. This produces a life that is purposeful unto God.

Brethren, God has not changed since the days of Daniel and as long as we are willing and completely surrendered to Him, God’s plans and purposes will be fulfilled in our lives. If per chance you feel you have made too many mistakes and think it is too late or you are too old to get back on track, I have a message for you today,  it does not matter how old we are for we can start afresh with God at any age or stage. Determine today to begin or to continue at all costs to live a purpose driven life founded on the Word of God in total surrender so as to fulfill God’s destiny for your life.

When you do this, it means you are living in obedience to God’s precious Word; key scriptures such as

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33 KJV)

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” (Proverbs 5:3-8 KJV).

Living a life

God is willing to do whatever it takes to help us live a purpose driven life so that we are stay on course fulfilling our God given destinies. He forgives us again and again or endless times and He is a God of second, third, fourth or multiple chances. The only condition is that we acknowledge our sins and repent before him (1 John 1:9), surrendering our lives totally to Him so as to exchange our purposes for His.

 

PROPHETIC POEMS

  1. Significant unto Self
    Introduction:
    I felt led to contemplate on the futility and consequences of life without God. The ultimate purposeless life is one lived without God. Self worth attained by placing one’s significance in things and achievements instead of God is meaningless as is life without God of our Lord Jesus Christ in general. “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecc. 1:2).

Significant unto Self

“I am significant”
repeat this in a trance,
believe it at a glance
at your achievements
and accolades.

What is the purpose
if you have no repose
only tension with no solution?

What is the purpose
if you see the broad way of death
but are blind to the narrow way of life?

What is the purpose
if your hands are tied
and you ride on the waves
of hell and cannot tell
when Jesus calms the tide so you can walk by
faith and not by sight and be set alight to do what is right?

There is no purpose!
©Deborah E.Nyamekye 14/01/2016

need_4God


2. Intimacy with Purpose

Introduction:
The intimate relationship a Christian has with Abba Father through Christ Jesus automatically results in them having a purpose in life beyond this relationship because through it they become like Daniel as they “purpose” in their heart that they “would not defile” themselves but rather live sanctified or consecrated lives unto God.

This means through obedience and surrender as Daniel they are able to know their God, receive His strength and arise in His power to do exploits.

This poem is about a person who not only wants to live a worshipful life unto God “cradled” in his arms (fat with His blessed presence and glory) but desires more than just merely warming church pews… so to speak! He or she desires to be of use to Him for the sake of the world as a “City set on a hill”, or a light that cannot be hidden.
Basket_Light

Intimacy with Purpose

Almighty God,
dwelling in thy Secret Place I see thy face
and I am love struck  and stricken by thy grace.
I have nothing in my palms to give thee as a
holy offering of alms, so I give myself to
thee as a babe cradled in thy arms.

I abide under the shadow of the Almighty,
not so that I can sleep, oblivious to the trillions
of issues in the deep, but so that I can learn to
discern thy will, be strong in the power of thy
might and emit thy light as a city set on a hill.

For Jesus said to me “You are the light of the world like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father(1)”.
City set on a hill
((1)Matthew 5:14-16 NLT, Psalm 91:1, Eph.6:10) ©Deborah E.Nyamekye 26/01/2016

You are blessed, determine to stay blessed!

Deborah Esther
©Deborah E.Nyamekye 29/01/2016

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THE 1-2-3 DOMINO EFFECT OF THE TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS & THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

Domino-effect

“How we see ourselves, how we conduct our interpersonal relationships are fruitful unto God, only if our relationship with God is according to His commands”

36Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law?37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.38This is the first and great commandment.39And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

 THE 1-2-3 DOMINO EFFECT OF THE TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS

**Point 1 – Point 2 – Point 3 Domino Effect**

Let us ensure that the two greatest commandments are always at the forefront of our minds so that we

POINT 1 – Sustain a love relationship with God through a worshipful life (bible study, praise, prayer..) which includes focus on God in all that we do and do them as unto Him.

This is the only way we can

POINT 2 – Love ourselves because it is in this place that we Learn to love ourselves by understanding who we are in God and who He is to us.

As a result of Point 2 out worked from Point 1 of the 1-2-3 Domino Effect, (whatever position we hold in the Body of Christ or society – in God’s eyes a servant’s heart is the mark of an obedient heart – Jesus is our example)
We are able to

POINT 3 – Love our neighbours (anyone: friend, spouse, colleague, acquaintance etc…); this means we are able to demonstrate God’s love through us to others meaning

– we are able to have compassion for people
– empathise with them
– care about their feelings so as to be cautious how we treat them, ensuring we are not doing or saying anything to hurt them nor lording over them …
-treat others as we would like to be treated.

Prayer: Father, help us in our weakness so that we live according to these two greatest commandments. Thank you for answering this prayer in my life and that of my brethren. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray Amen

dominoTHE POWER OF FORGIVENESS
Satan exerts himself in his attempt to ruin interpersonal relationships in general and especially those between Christian friends, spouses, ministers, work colleagues and acquaintances, because he is a sly crafty, cunning fool who will do anything to attempt to bring chaos in the harmony that is the 1-2-3 Domino Effect of the Two Greatest commandments.

Let us take heed not to let the hurts inflicted upon us from childhood through to adulthood or what people are doing currently to hurt or upset us (it may not even be deliberate) prevent us from having or sustaining the peace we have in the knowledge that we are lovable or significant human beings created in the image of God and restored as such through Christ for His pleasure and purposes. The born again experience opens the door for us to be healed from lies satan has said about who we are and our worth especially through others. Our healing starts with forgiving all those who have hurt us directly or indirectly and contributed to these lies about our identity and worth.

Forgiveness by God and therefore making peace with Him is conditional to our forgiving others. This is why Jesus included these words in the prayer he taught his disciples to pray 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV)
There is an assumption therefore that his disciples know that they should forgive their debtors so that God will forgive them.

After this, he emphasised the point by saying:“14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV).

When we forgive, we receive forgiveness from father which means cleansing from all unrighteousness and so a way is made for us to have fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit. Unforgiveness is a decision not to demonstrate the love of God to our “neighbour” (Point 3), it is therefore disobedience and as sin, disobedience also separates us from God and so we are prevented from loving God with all our heart, mind and soul (Point 1). Without loving God, we cannot love ourselves or sustain the unconditional God kind of love (Point 2).

Forgiveness is the key to overcoming satan’s attempts at creating discord, causing contention and hatred between Christians so that they do not demonstrate the love of God for one another (Point 3 of the 1-2-3 Domino Effect). This is often because when people are hurt, they are likely to fall into temptation as they are angry, discouraged, disappointed and begin to exercise thoughts of retaliation which range from either not speaking to the one who has hurt them or doing something to hurt them as well.

The importance of forgiveness is reinforced by Jesus, expressing the heart of God on the matter when he said that
-you must forgive those who have sinned against you not 7 times but 70 x 7 times (Matthew 18:21-22); In other words forgiveness should be a perpetual lifestyle attitude of a children of God.
-when you are bringing your offering to God and you remember that someone has something against you then you must first go and reconcile with them before doing so. (Matthew 5:23-24)

God also cares about that person who has something against you whether they are Christians or not and so should you, is what Jesus is saying. Your “neighbour” (Matthew 22) is not necessarily a fellow Christian and approaching them to make peace means you desire to obey God’s command that you love your neighbour. Your neighbour could also be your enemy, in relation to this Jesus taught as follows:
You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. (Matthew 5:43-46 NLT)

It is evident therefore that the responsibility to cultivate harmonious co-existence (hence expressing the love of God) lies with the disciple of Jesus and forgiveness is the key. When used therefore, this key not only opens the door to a sustained relationship of love with God but it also serves to keep us within the realm of the 1-2-3 Domino Effect (Two Greatest Commandments) cycle all the days of our lives.

domino

To God be the glory great things He has done!

You are blessed, determine to stay blessed!

Deborah Esther
©Deborah E.Nyamekye 22/01/2016

 

GOD OF PEACE: God’s Peace to You

peace to you

Receive God’s Peace like a River in  and through you! I pray for God’s peace to flow in a never ending manner like a river that forms tributaries into the recesses of your soul (mind, intellect and emotions) so that you would experience a perpetual Sabbath rest of the LORD.

In this place, you will receive revelation from the LORD directly and through His Word so that out of you shall flow rivers of living waters quenching the spiritual thirst of dry souls and hearts making a people ready for the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

There is no peace like God’s peace. Attempts at world peace without God as the source is just a charade and superficial for sooner or later confusion and chaos sets in. This is why Jesus explicitly distinguished his peace from that of the world when he said such comforting words
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27KJV)

As a believer in Christ you have His mind which means your mind or thoughts are focused on God. You therefore have access to God’s peace (Is.26:3) which is perfect.

God speaks His peace in every situation of your life, however He requires that you do not “again turn to folly” (Ps 85:8).

To live a life in God’s perpetual peace, He wants you to know that you need to be determined to overcome anxiety. How? Prayer to God concerning all things (Phil 4:6), while praying be thankful of what you have already received from him. If you can’t think of anything in a moment how about your life? Your caring child, spouse,family or your job ? Also trust Him once you have prayed. It is only after you have done this that
“…the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”(Phil 4:7)
God of Peace be with you!

 

✝ Poem – Receive the Master’s Peace

Be anxious for nought and pray for what you ought. God’s peace will unfold as a treat,if a slave to worry you are not.

Peace  like a barging river, shall knock down fortes of
deceit in your heart to
cause the enemy to retreat.

Peace like a fighter plane shall land on the combat fields of your soul to dethrone the Prince of this World, end the cycle of disorder to commence divine order.

A peace foreign to this world in chaos because it knows not it’s Master and his ethos.

Who is it’s Master?

He is the Prince of Peace who saith to his own “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you”.

On a mount he sat and taught
“blessed are the peacemakers they shall be called children of God” So be blessed, not stressed.

Do not retaliate but demonstrate his love to haters.
Trade anger with prayer for users and live to unite dividers. With your mates create colonies in a bond of peace and be the harmonies to iron out melodious creases.

Blessed vessel of peace, wrestle for the increase of God’s government and peace to have no end.

(Isaiah 9:6-7, Phil 4:6-7
Matt.5:43-48, John 14:27)
©Deborah E.Nyamekye 17/01/2016
for more poems click http://www.poetrieprose.wordpress.com

You are blessed, determine to stay blessed!

Deborah Esther

©Deborah E.Nyamekye 20/01/2016

WORSHIP- Part 2: Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalene & You: No barriers to a Worshipful life unto God

image

Mary of Bethany’s unconditional love for Jesus Christ is revealed by the fact that she took advantage of opportunities when he was around to express her devotion or worship of him. The two opportunities revealed in the bible are when Mary met Jesus at
1.Martha, her sister’s home (Luke 10)

While at Martha’s home, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to what he had to say while her sister was busy serving. Martha criticised Mary openly to Jesus, but he defended and commended her as follows:

“38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”(Luke 10:38-42 KJV)

2. Simon the Leper’s home with her sister Martha and brother Lazarus present. (John 12). While Mary’s sister Martha was serving, instead of helping as when Jesus was with them in Martha’s home (see point 1) Mary gave Jesus her undivided attention and took “…a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment” (John 12:3 KJV).

Judas Iscariot criticised her, again Jesus defended and commended Mary: “4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.” (John 12:4-8 KJV)

In Luke the Apostle’s account, the host criticised Jesus for allowing Mary to touch him:

“39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:39-50 KJV)

Why did Mary of Bethany relate to Jesus in this way? As a woman who had turned her back on her life of sin (Luke in chapter 7, states that she had lived a sinful life in that town, in addition to the host’s words noted above in the same chapter), believing that she had been forgiven are many sins she felt compelled to express her gratitude in a very lovable focused manner and did not let the possibility that she might be criticised openly or secretly stop her. The purchase of expensive ointment to anoint Jesus’ feet was an expression of the magnitude of her gratitude and therefore worshipful life towards him.

Mary Magdalene was also as Mary of Bethany, completely devoted to Jesus in the manner of a true worshipper. Similar to Mary of Bethany, her total devotion and expressive worship was borne out of gratitude for what Jesus had done for her. Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out of her by Jesus. Mary Magdalene was

  1. at Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:25) with other women, Jesus’ mother Mary and her sister Mary, the wife of Clopas.
  2.  the first to go to Jesus’ tomb and found it empty (John 20:1-3, Mark 16:9-11).

Furthermore we know from scripture that Jesus went from town to village with his twelve disciples proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom and some women who had been delivered from infirmities were with him (Luke 8:1-3). Mary Magdalene was one of them, although Mary of Bethany was not mentioned in the Apostle Luke’s account, she was likely to have been one of them.
I can imagine the women being criticised by onlookers because it was not a woman’s place in that era to be taught by men or Rabbis (Teachers) such as Jesus nor was it their place to follow a man around as they did. Indeed, these were bold women who were fixed on the lover of their souls, Jesus regardless of the traditions of the day. They were not only interested in learning from him, but they also wanted Jesus to reach as many people as possible with the message of the Kingdom of God and so gave from their own means to support (Luke 8:3) him and his disciples in ministry; Oh! what a great expression of love and devotion towards Jesus Christ and his God given mission!

Friends, as we can see, Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene had Jesus on their minds and expressed their devotion to him during his ministry until he left the earth. How much more should we not be expected to live even more worshipful lives unto God than these women, for we have Jesus with us every day because of the Holy Spirit within us who testifies of Jesus and bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16). Our daily actions will also reveal to the world whether we are true worshipers all the time, some of the time or not at all.

Friends, as we know we do not have to be standing in front of people singing or playing an instrument for God’s glory to be called true worshippers of God. Anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9-10/John 3) is born again and declared righteous unto God and therefore a true worshipper. It is the outworking of this declaration that takes time. The degree of victorious fulfillment of our calling as true worshipers, worshiping God in Spirit (God’s Spirit bearing witness to ours that we are children of God) and in Truth (God’s truth)(John 4) is dependent on the degree in which one abides in God or Christ through the Word, prayer and praise.

Abiding in God also includes partnering with God so that He uses us to be a blessing to the Body of Christ and to anyone or groups of people in our workplace or wherever we might be. It also includes basically thinking and focus on God from the time we wake up until we go to sleep. Yes we may have time set aside during the day to do some bible study and pray as well, but we do not have to wait for these set times, because even in our thoughts and during short pauses of a few minutes as we do our work, go shopping or whatever we are doing, we can pray and sing praises to Him. Relating to Him in this way shows that we acknowledge His omnipresence and live in the realm of His presence as true worshipers.

The New Covenant of Jesus Christ fulfills the covenant promise of God to the nation of Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34), extended to all mankind regardless of their nationality or race as long as they are believers in Jesus:

“31Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer. 31:31-34 KJV)

“26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”       (Gal. 3:28-29 KJV)

While we have Pastors and teachers given to us by God, there are also deceptive ones or those who are selective in what they teach so as not to become unpopular while preventing disciples from attaining the fullness of the “meat” of the Word of God. Those who depend first and foremost on what their pastors or other teachers teach them, must take note that these verses of Jeremiah 31:31-34 are in actual fact stating that through Jesus Christ in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit who is a testimony of Jesus, you are able to receive the Word of God planted in your heart without anyone teaching you. It suffices that you partner with God for the planting of His Word in your heart by reading and studying the Bible to show yourself approved unto God (2 Tim 2:15), while staying in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

To reiterate this point in 1 John 2:26-27, John the Apostle explains that the Holy Spirit or anointing of God indwelling believers in Christ will teach them, so that they do not need anyone to teach them.

This means that you are able to live a life consistently as a true worshipper of God! If you cultivate a lifestyle of abiding in God and depend on Him for revelation and insight from His Word, it is unlikely that anyone can deceive you in relation to Christian doctrine or in other ways. This is because you are living as a true worshiper through fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Remember God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (John 4).

Brethren, we ought to praise God every day for His Holy Spirit, a great teacher (John 14:26) and helper who reminds us of Jesus’ teachings and reveals the will of God to us directly from Him or through His Word.  As you can see our victorious life as true worshipers depends on how we relate to God and nothing else not even our church traditions or how our family related to God as we grew up from childhood to adulthood. This point is best illustrated by Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman he deliberately met at the well on the appointed day of her salvation, or her call to be a true worshiper.

The Samaritan woman said to Jesus “20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he” (John 4:20-26 KJV).

Jesus was in effect saying to the Samaritan woman that while salvation came to the world through the Jews, being a true worshiper of God was not determined or gauged by whether one worshiped upon a mountain or in Jerusalem. In other words a traditional or ancestral place of worship is not of significance, what is of significance is the state of one’s heart condition before God. In other words you are not confirmed a true worshiper in God’s eyes, solely because of either of the following:

-you have been a Christian all your life and have therefore been known to worship God and
-you come from a long line of Christian ancestors and your parents were also Christians.

As a result of either one of the above two points, you have worshiped God in a certain way or through a particular denomination.

True worshipers are those who have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, because God is Spirit and it is only when we are in fellowship with His Holy Spirit that we can know His will and ways (i.e. His truth) and live by them. Living according to the truth of His spoken or written word equates being a true worshiper.

You may have the tendency to be in likeness to either Mary Magdalene or Mary of Bethany in terms of your completely surrendered and devoted life to God, but in a way that other Christians would appear not to understand, and so criticise you, saying ‘there he/she goes again, so over the top!’

Do they know what God has delivered you from so that you live with such intense love for Him through the LORD Jesus Christ? If they did, they may refrain from their criticism, but then again they may not. Martha knew of the kind of life her sister, Mary of Bethany had been delivered from, and Judas Iscariot also knew of Mary’s past life, but it did not stop them criticising her actions.

Brethren, you do not have to justify yourself or explain at length as to why you live your life the way you do unless you are giving a testimony expressing how God transformed your life.

God will defend and commend you as He did Mary of Bethany, should people criticise you openly or in their hearts as you ascribe worship to God by expressing devotion to Him wholeheartedly because you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind as we are commanded to do (Matthew 22:37). Indeed if your heart is pure and your worship is genuine the fruit of your “love in action” or labour for His sake will be made manifest for all to see.  Also remember that your lifestyle serves as a witness to the unbeliever of who Christ is and what living for him entails. You may be the only evidence of a true Christian that someone knows and based on your genuine Christlike walk, they may decide to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

Therefore Soldier on in faith ! refusing to be destructed from living a sacrificially worshipful life unto God.

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A WORSHIPFUL LIFE

I will lift my hands in praise
I will bow my knees in worship
I will lay me down in surrender to
my Maker
my Master
my King.

I will proclaim the Word
I will speak the truth
I will tell my story of
His adoration
His salvation
His restoration.

I will give to the poor
I will help the weak
I will pray for the sick
In obedience to
His call
His command
His petition.

“God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works
that He has prepared for us to do”

(Eph.2:10) ©Deborah Nyamekye Oct.2015 (poems blog: http://www.poetrieprose.wordpress.com)

To read: Worship Part 1-Cain, Abel & You… C lick here 

You are blessed, determine to stay blessed!

Deborah Esther

©Deborah E. Nyamekye 17/01/2016

 

 

 

GOD OF PROVISION: He cares for your basic & financial needs

money2TiB-Manna : Week 11-01-2016
(Topic in Brief)

Are you in lack, having financial problems and debts you wish would just vanish into thin air and praying for money to rain down on you from Heaven? Do not fret for the Lord says
“Cast your cares upon me for I care for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
He is the only one who knows the depth of your deprivation in the area of your finances as well as other areas.

Stay in the place of praise and worship, focused on His Word. Worship Him with the little you have and you will see His principles work for you. What principles ? you ask. Some are

“you reap what you sow” (Gal 6:7).
“Give and it shall be given to you, …pressed down shaken together …shall men give to your bosoms.” (Luke 6:38)

Do you know someone who is in need, even more destitute than you are? Well, share what you have with them. Yes the little you have. The Widow of Zarephath was taken by surprise when the prophet Elisha came to ask her not only for a drink but also to share the little food she had reserved for herself and her son. In fact he told her to feed him before herself and her son! Remember the LORD sent Elijah to her.
The Widow was being set up for a miracle. Praise the Lord that she obeyed the word of the prophet when he said
“… thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day [that] the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.”(1 Kings 17:14KJV)

What happened? Sure enough as God is always true to His word, it is written “She, and he, and her house, did eat [many] days.16[And] the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.”(1 Kings 17:15-16 KJV)

Father, help us to be as this widow and not miss any opportunities to obey your command so that we do not miss your miraculous works or blessings that you plan to bring to pass as a result of our obedience. In Jesus name Amen.

Jesus also mentioned a widow who was poor and gave the the little she had (2 mites). He said she had given more than those who had given out of their riches because she gave out of her poverty. (Luke 21:1-4)

Friends these two women had lost their husbands, and were also very poor, you may not have much or very little in addition to other losses as well, but as a born again believer, when you give out of your poverty (the little you have) as these two widows it is great giving in the eyes of the LORD and you set yourself up for a miracle.

Also remember you are the Bride of Christ as an individual as well as part of the Body of Believers, covenanted to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. When you came to Christ, God took away your “widowhood” meaning your lack or barrenness and gave you hope and the capacity to be very productive to the glory of His Name (Is. 54:1). You are no longer as one forsaken, but His delight, one He betrothed to Himself (Is. 62:4) Oh such great love Abba Father has bestowed upon us!

Friends, the LORD is waiting to perform great financial miracles in your life, for He wants to bless us abundantly in every area. Think of how much more you could do for Him when He releases financial blessings to you. While you wait, I encourage you to live in obedience to His commands and principles.

WORD OF COUNSEL: “If you are willing & obedient, you will eat the good things of the land” (Isaiah 1:19 NIV)

DECLARATION/BLESSING: Prosperity in all areas including financial: “2Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 1:2 KJV)

TiB-Manna Week 11-01-16
(TiB: Topic in Brief): ©Deborah Nyamekye 12/01/2016

WORSHIP-Part 1: Cain, Abel & You – Making choices that lead to True or False Worship unto God.

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Read Genesis 4 : Cain & Abel.

Even though Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God and thus caused the generational sinful nature in mankind to take root, we are presented with a situation that surprises many people who read the account of Genesis chapter 4. Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve’s offspring each gave an offering to God. Adam and Eve must have taught their two sons to live a covenanted life unto God, even though they still inherited the generational sinful nature from their parents.

As long as we acknowledge we are in covenant with God which Cain and Abel did by giving God an offering, then in God’s eyes we confess Him before men and we are therefore inheritors of His promises. This fact was true in the time of Cain and Abel, throughout ancient history and is true now.  God is the same yesterday, today and forever more!

As Cain and Abel acknowledged that they were God’s, God expected them to also know what kind of offering He would expect and accept from them. Cain was a farmer “tiller of the ground” and he brought an offering from the land to the Lord. It was an ordinary offering. He did not give his best. This shows a lack of reverence and respect for God, so what was the result? The King James version states that God “unto Cain and to his offering he did not respect” (Gen. 4:5). This verse reminds me of the verses in Matthew 10 in the New Testament which states that Jesus will confess before his Father those who confess him before men (vs 32) and will deny before his father those who deny him before men (vs 33).

true-falseBrethren, the truth is that we get as much out of our covenant relationship with God as we put into it. This has not changed even since the days of Adam and Eve and their offspring, Cain and Abel.  If I say I am one who offers my life as a living sacrifice to God but I choose to disrespect or deny God, it does not affect or change the fact that He is God nor does it prevent Him from doing His works. However I will suffer the consequences of my sins against Him which is eternal damnation unless I repent.

God chose me for salvation, therefore I should see this as a privilege and be humbled to be called His child. I should in no way expect Him to feel He is blessed to have me as His child, if I do, then I am being prideful. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). I may not be having this expectation consciously but my actions towards God speaks louder than my words. I cannot hide my motives or intentions from Him for He is God and all knowing.  This is expressed in David’s counsel to his son which we should also live by:

“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever” (1 Chron. 28:9 NLT).

In addition as Cain did, I should not take God for granted. Cain had free will and chose to exercise it by serving God, but he did not give his best. Assessing what this means we can say he was lukewarm in his approach and attitude towards God. Is God looking for lukewarm worshippers? No! He is looking for those who will be true worshippers by obeying the two greatest commandments upon which all the other eight hang (Matt. 22:36-40).

“love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” (Luke 10:27 KJV).

The Ten Commandments enabled the people of Israel to know right from wrong. Although in Cain and Abel’s time the commandments as we know them were not in existence then, the expectation of God from them is the same as it was from Israel when God gave them the Ten Commandments. This is because anyone who says they belong to God are expected by Him to exercise their free will and moral consciousness by choosing to do what is right by Him or according to His Word.

Cain did not love God wholeheartedly hence the choice to give him an offering which reflected this fact. You only know what it is to love when you live cultivating a love relationship with God. This is true worship and from this position you learn to love yourself the way God loves you and you can therefore love others in the same way. Cain did not love God, nor himself and therefore he could not love his brother Abel.

Jesus during his ministry spoke as follows:

“23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24 NLT).

 True worshippers are people who live in the Spirit and abide by the truth of the Word of God exercising their free will by making choices to the glory of God and His Kingdom. The LORD alone can judge who is a true worshipper for He looks at the heart whereas man looks at the appearance (1 Samuel 16:7).

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Cain did not anticipate the consequences of this lukewarmness and disrespect towards God this is why he was very upset and “his countenance fell” (4: 6) when God did not accept his offering. He felt God should accept his offering despite it being inferior to what God expected from him. This is because Cain had no reverence for God.

Friends, if you have reverence for Almighty God you will give Him your best in relation to your time, your finances and service. After all, God is the one who not only created you, but ensures you have provision and sustains you daily.

Some people think they can take God’s mercy for granted and get away with it, to the point that they say “I will sin in this way and repent later, after all the bible says if I confess my sins God is faithful and will forgive me”. There are some who profess to live holy lives but only to deceive men, for God knows the hidden state of a man’s heart; for instance they may be part of the worship team in church but are fornicating or committing adultery in secret.

These same people being born again and therefore covenanted children of God have chosen to live lives compromising with the world and so they do not give of themselves wholeheartedly to God. However as Cain (Gen 4:6) they get very upset and their countenance falls when God does not answer their prayers or they do not experience breakthrough in certain areas of their lives despite supposedly attempting to for years. Could it be that God has rejected their offering of false and abominable worship which rises up as stench to his nostrils rather than sweet smelling incense as true wholehearted worship does?

This aforementioned example is one of several ways believers in Jesus Christ dismiss or relegate him and God to the bottom of their list of priorities while outwardly appearing holy before men and even manage to deceive themselves that they are not doing anything wrong.

Furthermore, believers in Jesus Christ have given excuses when  they disobey God or engage in sin blaming the devil or saying “I am only human” with the same lips they confess “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” or “I am more than a conqueror through him (Jesus) who loves me” so if they know they have the inner strength through Christ to overcome temptation how come they have a habit of picking and choosing when to obey God and when not to?

One might make the following excuses for Cain

  • He was the offspring of Adam and therefore the adamic sin nature was raging within him as a generational iniquity so it was easier for him to disobey God than to obey Him as it was for Adam and Eve.
  • He was very upset because he did not think he had done anything against God because the power of iniquity of separation from God (parental sin) was such that his natural inclination was not towards pleasing God but self and Satan.

Did God give Cain these excuses in the bible? He did not and would have if they applied. Unlike Cain, Abel, Cain’s brother from the same mother and father chose to please God by acknowledging God’s worth as being so great that He merited Abel’s best offering from his livestock. We can see that while one son of Adam (Abel) chose to do what was pleasing to God the other (Cain) chose not to even though they both have the generational iniquity of the Adamic sin nature. Why is it that the excuses one can make for Cain’s attitude towards God did not result in Abel acting in the same way as Cain did towards God?

Abel was able to make a conscious choice to give God the best of his livestock even then when one would easily have thought it would have been unlikely. Another reason one may have expected Abel to not give God his best offering in addition to the aforementioned excuses for Cain’s failure was because as Cain, he was a first generation offspring of Adam and one would think greatly prone to the serpent’s influence against God as his mother and father.

When we are God’s, He expects us to rise above the tendency to either give in to sin or make excuses for committing recurring sin because of the generational adamic sin nature or sins of our parents and ancestors as well as our own past repetitive sins. While in covenant with God, if we can make a choice to give ourselves as living sacrifices unto God as Cain and Abel demonstrated by giving Him an offering, we can also make a choice as to what level of worship we are willing to give Him while in covenant with Him; We can profess we are Christians but live as the unsaved (which is not worship at all), be in half hearted obedience, which means lukewarmness or compromise with the world (this is also not worship) or wholehearted worship because we love Him with all our hearts, minds and souls (this is true worship).

Brethren, the point I am making is that choices to be God’s children and the level of worship we give Him can be made without fearing we will fail in our walk with God because of the Adamic sin nature, ancestral generational weaknesses or our own recurring sins of the past. God is always with those who are His to protect, strengthen and warn us of impending danger, as in the case of Cain:

“7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” (Gen 4:7 NLT)

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Even though these were times well before laws and commands were given by God to people who were covenanted with Him as we know from scripture, Genesis 4:7 lays out God’s expectation of His creation who acknowledged him as their LORD as well as the consequences for not fulfilling those expectations and what they must do to overcome sin.

Man has a moral conscience and free will and therefore has the God given ability to make choices as to whether to do the right or wrong thing. What is right or wrong according to God is knowledgeable from God’s Word and directly from God by revelation or His spoken word, for instance God spoke clearly to Cain in Genesis 4:7. It is also a knowing which is supernaturally given to covenanted children of God. God therefore expected Cain and Abel to exercise their free will by choosing to give their offering to God based on what they knew to be pleasing to God and not pleasing to him. If one says they accept their covenant relationship with God, then His expectation is that one would exercise their free will by choosing morally to do what pleases God. However, God does not give up on us; He gives us a chance to repent and change our ways as well as cautions and warns us about the consequences of continuing in sinful ways.

God demonstrated to Cain that He loved him by showing mercy to him as He did many centuries later to His covenanted children of Israel and those through Jesus Christ. God showed mercy by counseling and warning Cain (Gen 4:7) when He saw how upset he was that God rejected his offering.

God did not take Cain’s free will from him as He never does, but as a loving Father, His words (Gen 4:7) were to make Cain realize that the consequences of not doing the right thing (not giving God his best, his lukewarm or half hearted worship) would lead to “sin” not just being at his “door” but entering and taking over his life. This warning came with what Cain  was to do to overcome which was to “subdue it and be its master”. Sadly Cain did not heed to God’s warning and killed his brother Abel (Gen 4:8).

Brethren, it is true that as Cain & Abel, we too have generational iniquities to contend with, but as God was with Cain and Abel, so He is with us and as them, we also have what it takes to sustain a life of true worship. We are also in a better place than they were in that we have the power of God through the blood of Christ Jesus to overcome (Luke 10:18-19, Romans 8:37) Satan and his demonic powers over our bloodline. We only have to believe it, declare it and live a life abiding in Christ wholeheartedly in true worship of God as an expression of our love for Him. We also have the Holy Spirit within to convict us of sin and enable us to discern what is of God, Satan or self. This is why we must consciously live a life abiding in God through bible study/meditation, prayer and singing praises to Him.

Yes it is true that we all have generational iniquities and sins passed down, and Satan does not relent to attack us even when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour but we also have a God given conscience, free will and so the ability to make choices as to whether to serve God with all our hearts, minds and souls or do so grudgingly or half-heartedly. Therefore if we say we are truly born again then, our degree of victorious Christian living as worshippers of God, is determined by the choices we make and not by satan or anyone else and this is because

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence”(2 Peter 1:3 NLT).

You are blessed, determine to stay blessed!

Deborah Esther

©Deborah E. Nyamekye 08/01/2016

next “Manna from on High” Next week, 15th January 2016

This is a Weekly Teaching/ Devotional blog

The Year Ahead with God “As with Israel so He is with us”

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“As He was with Israel in ancient times, so He is with us”

As we reflect on the coming days of 2016, we are like the people of Israel at the border of their promised land who had no idea what lay ahead of them in the way of battles, challenges and even victories and blessings. God graciously told Israel how they were to stay under His protection and guidance so as to receive all that He had for them on their journey. They were simply to obey His instruction to follow closely behind the Ark of the Covenant or Tabernacle which is God’s presence.

“And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it… that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.” (Joshua 3:3-4 KJV)

Just as the presence of God advanced before Israel, through the wilderness and into the unknown promised land of Canaan so too His presence has gone ahead of us into the unknown “territories” of the New Year and will continue to do so beyond 2016. Individually the Lord is speaking to us, as He spoke to Joshua on a one on one;

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9 KJV).

Jesus to whom we belong is also called Emmanuel (Matthew 1:23) “God with us”, he and God are one (John 10:30), we therefore have the same assurance as Joshua. However, as God gives grace to the humble, we should not take His presence for granted, rather our daily prayer should be

“Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day” (Psalm 25:4-5 KJV).

Knowing that obedience is key to our victory in the New Year, we should obey Jesus’ commandments so that God demonstrates His love to us by abiding with us (John 14:21-23).

As New Covenant believers, we are God’s “Tabernacle” where His presence abides, enabling us to bear long lasting fruit (John 15) to His glory. We will see our prayers answered as we abide in Him and He in us through Jesus (John 15:7, 16).

Furthermore, when we respond to the call to be Jesus’ intimate friends and so obey his command to abide in his love, love one another as he loves us, we receive revelation knowledge which is the key to fruitfulness. If His presence is with us and in us in the power of the Holy Spirit, then we must believe that we are well able to know His will (1 Corinthians 2:9-13) and therefore the direction Father is taking us as we communicate with Him in worship, prayer and bible study throughout the year. This will guarantee we have a joy-filled year (John 15:12-17).

We must remember what awaits us in a life lived in God’s presence: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11 KJV)

Jesus, seated at the right hand of Father, as the Light of the World has gone ahead of us to overcome darkness (evil, deception) along our path (John 8:12, 32).

As Joshua and Caleb who spied the promised land and proclaimed by faith that Israel was “well able to conquer it..” and that God “will bring us into this land and give it to us” (Numbers 13:30;14:8), so too we must proclaim by faith even now at the “border” of the New Year, that we are destined for victory ahead no matter what challenges or battles we encounter because

“…we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37).

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”(Proverbs 18:21KJV)

Our vocal declarations of God’s victorious acts and His words in Scripture as well as our testimonies of His goodness are powerful weapons against satanic deception and discouragement as we advance into the New Year. We therefore have to be careful what we confess this year, staying in the Word and in an attitude of worshipping Father through Jesus will help us maintain a sanctified mind set and confession.

As God proved himself to be a faithful and true God and His words to Israel never return void (Isaiah 55:10-12), so He has been with us and plans to be in 2016 and beyond.

Have a very joyful New Year in the LORD. You are blessed, determine to stay blessed in 2016.

Deborah Esther

©Deborah E. Nyamekye 1/01/2016